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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE U.N. SYSTEM

MONDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2016

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SECRETARY-GENERAL LAUDS BREAKTHROUGH AS DECLARATION ADOPTED ON REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

• World leaders came together at the General Assembly today to adopt the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, which expresses the political will of world leaders to protect the rights of refugees and migrants, to save lives and share responsibility for large movements on a global scale.
• The Secretary-General congratulated Member States, saying: “Today’s Summit represents a breakthrough in our collective efforts to address the challenges of human mobility.”
• He said the adoption of the New York Declaration will mean that “more children can attend school; more workers can securely seek jobs abroad, instead of being at the mercy of criminal smugglers, and more people will have real choices about whether to move once we end conflict, sustain peace and increase opportunities at home.”
• By adopting the New York Declaration, Member States are making bold commitments including: to start negotiations leading to an international conference and the adoption of a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration in 2018; to develop guidelines on the treatment of migrants in vulnerable situations; to achieve a more equitable sharing of the burden and responsibility for hosting and supporting the world’s refugees by adopting a global compact on refugees in 2018.
• As called for in the Declaration, the Secretary-General also launched a new campaign called “Together – Respect, Safety and Dignity for All” to “respond to rising xenophobia and turn fear into hope”. He urged “world leaders to join this campaign and commit together to upholding the rights and dignity of everyone forced by circumstance to flee their homes in search of a better life.”
• Also speaking at the summit, the High Commissioner for Human Rights that it is shameful that the victims of abominable crimes should be made to suffer further by our failures to give them protection. He said that this can be changed, but not when the defenders of what is right and good are being outflanked, in too many countries, by race-baiting bigots, who seek to gain, or retain, power by wielding prejudice and deceit, at the expense of those most vulnerable – and, ultimately, even those who support them initially.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION TO U.N. FAMILY

·������ The Deputy Secretary-General today welcomed the International Organization for Migration () to the United Nations family as a related organization. He said the new agreement between the two organizations would benefit both and, more importantly, would benefit migrants and Member States.

·������ The Deputy Secretary-General stressed the importance of ensuring safe, orderly, regular and responsible migration, with paramount attention to human rights and humanitarian obligations. The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants adopted today represents a global recognition that no one State can address this issue on its own, and that we must all share the responsibilities, he said.

NEW U.N.-BACKED FINANCIAL SCHEME TO HELP REFUGEES, HOST COMMUNITIES IN RURAL AREAS

• The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) today announced the establishment of a new financing facility to assist refugees, displaced people and their host communities to address the increased pressure put on rural areas by the influx of millions of people.��
• To be launched as a Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action, the Facility for Refugees, Migrants, Forced Displacement and Rural Stability (FARMS) was created to respond to the rural dimension of the current crisis resulting from the large movements of refugees and displaced people to rural areas of developing countries.

EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR DISAPPOINTED THAT HUMANITARIAN AID STILL NOT TRAVELING FROM TURKEY TO SYRIA

• Stephen O’Brien, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that he is pained and disappointed that a United Nations convoy has yet to cross into Syria from Turkey, and safely reach eastern Aleppo, where up to 275,000 people remain trapped without food, water, proper shelter or medical care.
• Today’s 20-truck convoy would have been the first of two that would have carried flour and other food supplies, enough to feed some 185,000 people for one month. But humanitarians have not been able to reach eastern Aleppo since clashes started on 7 July between the Government of Syria forces and non-state armed groups.
• Mr. O’Brien said he hopes that all parties to the conflict, and those with influence over them, would see the convoy as an opportunity to move forward. All parties must facilitate regular and sustained access to families in all the besieged and hard-to-reach areas across the country, through both cross-line and cross-border routes.
• The United Nations continues to call for unconditional, unimpeded and sustained access to the millions of Syrian men, women and children in hard-to-reach and besieged locations. The delivery of humanitarian assistance is urgently needed, as is access for medical teams to examine, treat patients and support the evacuation of critically ill, the elderly, people with disabilities and children.
• Today, an inter-agency convoy is delivering much needed life-saving assistance�� for 78,000 people in the hard-to-reach town of Big Orem, in Aleppo Governorate.
• The convoy includes flour, basic household supplies, health, nutrition, education and water and sanitation assistance.
• An inter-agency convoy is also currently underway to Talbiseh in Homs Governorate.
• The convoy aims to deliver food, water and sanitation items, nutrition, education and health supplies for�� 84,000 people.
• Some health surgical supplies, burn kits and midwifery kits and medicines were removed during the loading process.

U.N. MIDDLE EAST ENVOY DISTURBED BY UPSURGE IN ATTACKS

• Nickolay Mladenov, the , said that he is disturbed by the recent violence over the past week. During this latest upsurge in attacks in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, at least six Israelis were injured. Five Palestinians and one Jordanian national were killed while carrying out or allegedly carrying out attacks.
• He reiterated the United Nations position that there can be no justification for terror and violence. He calls upon authorities on both sides to take measures to preserve calm and avoid escalation, especially during the upcoming period of the Jewish High Holy Days.

U.N. AND PARTNERS APPEAL FOR $10.7 MILLION TO RESPOND TO HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN SIRTE, LIBYA

• The UN in Libya and its humanitarian partners today on the international community to urgently $10.7 million for lifesaving emergency assistance for 79,400 people in Sirte.
• Recent military operations against Da’esh have triggered new displacements and return movements, resulting in a critical humanitarian situation. People who fled the area report severe shortages of food and medicines, looting and confiscations by Da’esh elements, as well as serious rights violations, including public beheadings.
• The humanitarian community expects return movements to accelerate once the forces of the Government of National Accord make progress. Humanitarian partners anticipate that by the end of the year, some 79,400 people will be residing in Sirte municipality, although much of the city will likely remain inaccessible for months.��
• The United Nations and its partners are tailoring their response to meet the needs of the population in Sirte. These include psychosocial support, mine action, health and food aid.�� The covers the needs for four months, from September to December 2016.

U.N. MISSION IN D. R. CONGO CALLS FOR RESPECT OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

• Following the arrest of sixteen civil society activists in Kinshasa, the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo () for respect of fundamental rights and freedoms.
• The Mission stressed that freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly are fundamental rights enshrined in the Congolese constitution.
• Maman Sambo Sidikou, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, called on all actors in the political process - politicians, civil society activists or media organizations - to abide by the constitution.

U.N. MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC CONDEMNS ATTACKS AGAINST U.N. AND HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY

• The UN Mission in the Central African Republic () reports that the security situation in Kaga Bandoro (Nana-Grébizi) remains tense after clashes between anti-Balaka and ex-Seleka groups in Ndomete and Kaga Bandoro left at least six civilians dead on Friday. More civilians were injured, including an aid worker. UN staff premises were also looted in Kaga Bandoro.
• MINUSCA the attacks against the United Nations and the humanitarian community and conveys its condolences to the families of those killed.
• Over the weekend, MINUSCA reinforced its military presence in Kaga Bandoro and Ndomete. In Ndomete, UN peacekeepers intervened to separate the two sides and avoid further impact on the civilian population. Similarly, in Kaga Bandoro, UN peacekeepers were deployed to strengthen the city’s security, including at the city hospital and the Eveche camp for internally displaced persons, as well as on the Kaga Bandoro-Ndomete axis.
• The Mission is also deploying a human rights team from Bangui to assess the situation.
• MINUSCA calls on Kaga Bandoro’s communities to remain calm and affirms its right to take appropriate measures to prevent destabilization of the situation, protect civilians in line with its mandate, and ensure the country’s territorial integrity.
• MINUSCA continues to monitor the situation and remains in contact with national and local authorities to stop the violence.